November 18, 2010 – The Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) has collaborated with the American College of Cardiology Foundation (ACCF), the American Heart Association (AHA) and other societies on the 2010 ACCF/AHA Guideline for assessing cardiovascular risk in asymptomatic adults. The guidelines were published at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions.
The guidelines “dramatically expand the indications and level of acceptance for coronary artery calcium scanning. Calcium scanning now has a 2a indication for clinical use in asymptomatic persons, a much stronger recommendation than the 2007 guidelines, due to much stronger evidence (MESA and other studies). It is also now recommended in low-intermediate risk (6-10 percent Framingham risk) and persons with diabetes,” said Matthew J. Budoff, M.D., FSCCT, professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, director of cardiac CT at Los Angeles Biomedical Research Center at Harbor UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, Calif., and president of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography.
“The recommendation by major professional organizations in cardiology that coronary calcium scanning be measured is likely to have as great an impact on saving lives as the recommendation that cholesterol be measured and controlled,” says Daniel Berman, M.D., FSCCT, director of cardiac imaging at Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute and former president of the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography.
These guidelines statements will be reproduced and addressed in the January issue of the Journal of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (JCCT).
For more information: www.SCCT.org
